Books you're currently reading??? - Page 43

DanaC · 01-09-2007, 05:10 AM

Hmm. I haven't read any Aubrey-Maturin novels. I may check some out.

Aliantha · 01-09-2007, 05:10 AM

No! How awesome!!!

DanaC · 01-09-2007, 05:57 AM

I know! That's what i thought! *does a very happy dance*

The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, hold a very special place in my heart. I read them first time out when I was about 12, because my Dad my older brother and my Mum were all reading them. Martin (my bro) had bought the first one as a paperback, read it, said how good it was and mum gave it a go. When he bought the second paperback, Dad was half way through the first.......each one of the books did the rounds of my entire family, including me heheh.

I was quite ill at that time (bout a year and a half, as the books came out in paperback and then did the rounds) so needed something to dive into. No book has ever transported me quite so completely as the Chronicles of Thomas Covenant. I swear I could almost taste the berries:P

Aliantha · 01-09-2007, 06:01 AM

It's an amazing story that's for sure. I first started reading the covenant series when I was about 18. My b/f at the time got me started on them.

When I left him, I stole his covenant books.

Those ones have since fallen apart or not been returned after loaning, so I've got fairly new copies of the whole series to date.

I love stephen donaldson as an author. Have you read 'the gap' series? If not, you should have a peek. It's brilliant.

skysidhe · 01-09-2007, 08:33 AM

Dana,What reading level are The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant ?

What makes the Gap series stand out ? I am looking for good science fiction for my son. He did hate and could not finish the Catcher In The Rye calling the character one miserable whiney #%^ ...well you know. Seems like the main character of the Chronicles is a bit like that?

DanaC · 01-09-2007, 08:39 AM

Ali, I loved the Gap series. The characters were brilliant. It was so vast in scale too.
He said in an interview that he wrote the The Real Story: Gap into Knowledge, as a novella about a decade earlier, and left it in his desk drawer, slightly disturbed by his own writing. Then he was driving along and listening to Wagner's Ring Cycle and the story came back to him and seemed to fit: hence it became a vast and sprawling space opera

Sky, I don't really know what the reading age would be. If you were to SPOC test it, it would likely come out at Level 2-3, which means well into the adult field. Level 1 is about age 14-15.

Clodfobble · 01-09-2007, 11:06 AM

LJ, don't let wolf and UG scare you off the George R.R. Martin. "Game of Thrones" is awesome and it only gets better with subsequent books in the series.

Happy Monkey · 01-09-2007, 11:12 AM

Yeah, A Song of Ice and Fire is my favorite series coming out now. And I'm a big fan of the Thomas Covenant series, too. When are the next books in each series coming out?

lumberjim · 01-09-2007, 11:39 AM

ch'yeah, i'm gonna take ug's advice about fiction. i'm loving it. the narrator is fantastic, too. does great voices, and reads at a nice slow pace in an old english accent. my impersonation of an english accent has improved because of it.

lumberjim · 01-09-2007, 11:40 AM

HM, the first one(covenant) is out. it wasn't as good as the firt series, IMO. not nearly.

Sundae · 01-09-2007, 12:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lumberjim

my impersonation of an english accent has improved because of it.

Evidence please! A youtube mehmehmeh in an English accent at the very least....

Quote:

Originally Posted by skysidhe

I am looking for good science fiction for my son. He did hate and could not finish the Catcher In The Rye calling the character one miserable whiney #%^ ...well you know. Seems like the main character of the Chronicles is a bit like that?

What age is your son? I couldn't make it through the Catcher in the Rye when I was a teenager for the same reason... I'm pretty good at remembering books that made an impression on me so I might be able to suggest something...?

I'm currently reading Abhorsen - the third in the Garth Nix series - Sabriel and Librael were the first two. An ex lent me Sabriel ("You read children's books about magic don't you?") and I found it interesting enough to pick up the others second hand.

I have at least 5 unread books scattered around my flat, am hoping for a book finding session this weekend.

Happy Monkey · 01-09-2007, 12:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lumberjim

HM, the first one(covenant) is out. it wasn't as good as the firt series, IMO. not nearly.

Yeah, but I still want the next one...

Griff · 01-09-2007, 12:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Urbane Guerrilla

Bernard Cornwell fans [I've only read some of his Sharpe's Rifles novels] would probably enjoy Patrick O'Brian, too. I'm reading all the Aubrey-Maturin novels I can get hold of in order of publication, which is roughly their order in the time they're set in -- the Napoleonic era.

But watch out -- these novels will give you the dangerous and unjustified impression you could go out and conn, fight, and trim the sails of a circa-1800 ship of the line with a week's hands-on experience, such is their vividness of time and place!

Patrick O'Brian is on my short list.

wolf · 01-09-2007, 02:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skysidhe

Dana,What reading level are The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant ?

What makes the Gap series stand out ? I am looking for good science fiction for my son. He did hate and could not finish the Catcher In The Rye calling the character one miserable whiney #%^ ...well you know. Seems like the main character of the Chronicles is a bit like that?

I'd put the reading level of Thomas Covenant Chronicles at about early high school.

Thomas Covenant is indeed a world-class whiner. Two worlds' class, actually, which is strange considering that when here on earth he is a hard-bitten, surly, competent adult. Stick him in the middle of a land with magickal powers and he becomes a big, whiny baby. I did not like the books, although I did read the first two trilogies, just to make sure. I even have a boxed set of the first three books.

DanaC · 01-09-2007, 06:18 PM

No way does the word preturnatural appear in an early high school book;nor, come to think of it, does the 'hero' of the book generally commit crimes like rape and end up intrinsically linked to the victim in a high school book. The story dealt with some complex issues and character developments And the character wasn't whiny, he was conflicted and bitter.

01-09-2007, 05:10 AM	#632
Aliantha trying hard to be a better person Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Brisbane, Australia Posts: 16,493	No! How awesome!!! __________________ Kind words are the music of the world. F. W. Faber

01-09-2007, 06:01 AM	#634
Aliantha trying hard to be a better person Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Brisbane, Australia Posts: 16,493	It's an amazing story that's for sure. I first started reading the covenant series when I was about 18. My b/f at the time got me started on them. When I left him, I stole his covenant books. Those ones have since fallen apart or not been returned after loaning, so I've got fairly new copies of the whole series to date. I love stephen donaldson as an author. Have you read 'the gap' series? If not, you should have a peek. It's brilliant. __________________ Kind words are the music of the world. F. W. Faber

01-09-2007, 08:33 AM	#635
skysidhe ~~Life is either a daring adventure or nothing.~~ Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 6,828	Dana,What reading level are The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant ? What makes the Gap series stand out ? I am looking for good science fiction for my son. He did hate and could not finish the Catcher In The Rye calling the character one miserable whiney #%^ ...well you know. Seems like the main character of the Chronicles is a bit like that? Last edited by skysidhe; 01-09-2007 at 08:40 AM. Reason: adding something

01-09-2007, 11:12 AM	#638
Happy Monkey I think this line's mostly filler. Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: DC Posts: 13,575	Yeah, A Song of Ice and Fire is my favorite series coming out now. And I'm a big fan of the Thomas Covenant series, too. When are the next books in each series coming out? __________________ _________________ \|...............\| We live in the nick of times. \| Len 17, Wid 3 \| \|_______________\| [pics]

01-09-2007, 11:39 AM	#639
lumberjim I can hear my ears Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 25,571	ch'yeah, i'm gonna take ug's advice about fiction. i'm loving it. the narrator is fantastic, too. does great voices, and reads at a nice slow pace in an old english accent. my impersonation of an english accent has improved because of it. __________________ This body holding me reminds me of my own mortality Embrace this moment, remember We are eternal, all this pain is an illusion ~MJKeenan

01-09-2007, 05:10 AM	#631
DanaC We have to go back, Kate! Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Yorkshire Posts: 25,964	Hmm. I haven't read any Aubrey-Maturin novels. I may check some out.

01-09-2007, 05:57 AM	#633
DanaC We have to go back, Kate! Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Yorkshire Posts: 25,964	I know! That's what i thought! does a very happy dance The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, hold a very special place in my heart. I read them first time out when I was about 12, because my Dad my older brother and my Mum were all reading them. Martin (my bro) had bought the first one as a paperback, read it, said how good it was and mum gave it a go. When he bought the second paperback, Dad was half way through the first.......each one of the books did the rounds of my entire family, including me heheh. I was quite ill at that time (bout a year and a half, as the books came out in paperback and then did the rounds) so needed something to dive into. No book has ever transported me quite so completely as the Chronicles of Thomas Covenant. I swear I could almost taste the berries:P

01-09-2007, 08:39 AM	#636
DanaC We have to go back, Kate! Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Yorkshire Posts: 25,964	Ali, I loved the Gap series. The characters were brilliant. It was so vast in scale too. He said in an interview that he wrote the The Real Story: Gap into Knowledge, as a novella about a decade earlier, and left it in his desk drawer, slightly disturbed by his own writing. Then he was driving along and listening to Wagner's Ring Cycle and the story came back to him and seemed to fit: hence it became a vast and sprawling space opera Sky, I don't really know what the reading age would be. If you were to SPOC test it, it would likely come out at Level 2-3, which means well into the adult field. Level 1 is about age 14-15.

01-09-2007, 11:06 AM	#637
Clodfobble UNDER CONDITIONAL MITIGATION Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 20,012	LJ, don't let wolf and UG scare you off the George R.R. Martin. "Game of Thrones" is awesome and it only gets better with subsequent books in the series.

01-09-2007, 11:40 AM	#640
lumberjim I can hear my ears Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 25,571	HM, the first one(covenant) is out. it wasn't as good as the firt series, IMO. not nearly. __________________ This body holding me reminds me of my own mortality Embrace this moment, remember We are eternal, all this pain is an illusion ~MJKeenan

01-09-2007, 06:18 PM	#645
DanaC We have to go back, Kate! Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Yorkshire Posts: 25,964	No way does the word preturnatural appear in an early high school book;nor, come to think of it, does the 'hero' of the book generally commit crimes like rape and end up intrinsically linked to the victim in a high school book. The story dealt with some complex issues and character developments And the character wasn't whiny, he was conflicted and bitter.

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